On Thursday, in celebration of Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal victory over Atletico Madrid, Vinicius Junior responded to an effigy of himself that had been hung from a bridge.
A Vinicius-clad dummy was hung near Real Madrid’s training facility the night before the game with the phrase “Madrid hates Real.”
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, along with La Liga and the Spanish football association, issued statements over the incident.
In a statement, the 22-year-old Brazilian forward’s club called the effigy a “disgusting act of racism, xenophobia, and hatred.”
There is a single Madrid. We all know,” Vinicius posted on Twitter after his team eliminated their city rivals and advanced to the semifinals.
At the Santiago Bernabeu, the forward scored the game-winning goal at the end of extra time to give his team a 3-1 victory.
Carlo Ancelotti told a news conference, “(Vinicius) controlled the game well, he really wanted to play, and he had a very good game.”
“I believe the goal was his reward for his outstanding effort. What occurred is quite regrettable.”
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